


Why So British

by NeverTrustAFox, TyJaxDrax



Series: OC Collabs [15]
Category: Sherlock (TV)
Genre: Alcohol Abuse/Alcoholism, Drinking, I Believe in Sherlock Holmes, I forgot how to tag, Minor, Moriarty is a little shit, Murder, Restaurants
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-01-22
Updated: 2017-01-22
Packaged: 2018-09-19 03:27:48
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,724
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/9416048
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/NeverTrustAFox/pseuds/NeverTrustAFox, https://archiveofourown.org/users/TyJaxDrax/pseuds/TyJaxDrax
Summary: Sherlock surveyed the two men in front of him, taking every little detail about them. There was nothing particularly interesting about either of them, at least not to the immediate eye. There was an obvious age gap between the two, it took him around 0.25 seconds to deduce that. It was simple really, he only had to look at the two males. There were very clear differences between the two, he could list them all, but honestly that’d be a waste of his own time.





	

**Author's Note:**

> Jude Beauchamp -NeverTrustAFox
> 
> Daniel Owen -ErikReaper

 

**Jude Beauchamp                   Daniel Owen**

“Another, Jude?” Daniel asked as he reached out for his friends now empty glass, holding it for a moment while watching him get even drunker by the minute. He really had a problem. He’d mentioned rehab, but clearly, that hadn’t worked out too well.

The blonde cocked his head to the side, the cogs in his brain turning as they worked to process what Daniel had just said to him. He wouldn’t say he was drunk, at least not at the moment. He was...tipsy. “When do I ever say no to another drink?” He questioned, his voice dripping with sarcasm.

“Unfortunately… never,” the barman replied with a curve drawing upward at the corner of his lips. He went about filling the glass with another two shot of Bourbon, feeling a few drips stray and slip down the outside of the glass and wet at his finger. He slid the cup along the tabletop towards the man. “You should be more careful with drinking. I’d rather not visit you in hospital with liver failure,” Daniel leaned palms on the table, watching him carefully.

Jude shot him a sardonic grin, barely paying attention to the weight of his words. They’d had this conversation many a time and each time, nothing changed. Jude wrapped his slender fingers around the glass that had once again been placed in front of him. “It wouldn’t be the first time now, would it?” He retorted in a blase fashion as he raised the glass to his lips.

“No, but I’d rather it be the last,” Daniel huffed lightly, sending the younger man a concerned frown. Really, he drank too much, and that was coming from the barman of a very populated restaurant bar. He saw drunks everywhere, and this boy was by far one of the frequents that ended up shitfaced and stumbling home. He’d had to drag him back himself on a few occasions, even had him stay at his own place because he’d lost his house key that one time. “Am I walking you home again?” he asked with an almost resigned tone.

With a roll of his eyes, Jude downed his drink. He felt fine, absolutely fine. Honestly, he couldn’t see what the problem was. He placed his glass back down onto the bar top, shaking his head. “You worry way too much, stop being so boring!” Jude exclaimed. He was pretty sure he was capable of getting home on his own. Others would more than likely disagree. At least he didn’t drive here, not that he could drive. Hell, he never learnt how.

“You realize that I have the ability to cut you off,” Daniel replied curtly, referring to his place behind the bar. He probably wouldn’t, but only because he was sure that Jude would have his job. He knew a secret or two that could easily have him fired. Like having a little rendezvous in back with a customer or two. That was the taboo of this restaurant. And thankfully, he hadn’t been caught. He stopped after the first handful, getting his act together quite fast and he regretted letting Jude in on his secret.

“Would you rather I go somewhere else?” Jude was being a complete and utter brat, he knew that. The blonde didn't want to go somewhere else. One, because he liked it here and two because he was too lazy. “Come on. You wouldn’t really do that. Right, Danny?”

“Slow down and I won’t,” Daniel replied softly, reaching for the glass again. He held it in his hand, eyeing the other for some kind of indication that he would. He honestly wanted him to stay put and just have a good, _fun_ time, not get rat-arsed and then spew his guts up later, regretting it all over again. “Yeah?”

Jude held his hands up, “Fine. Okay, whatever.” He muttered. One of his hands came up to push his hair back, out of his eyes. It was quite obvious that Daniel cared for his wellbeing, Jude knew that but he was a self destructive son of a bitch. He always had been. “I’ll slow it down.” He added quickly, a small sigh following his words.

“Okay,” Daniel almost let his smile pass over his lips at his words. He shifted and held the glass under the Bourbon tap, only filling it as a one shot this time before placing it down in front of Jude, eyeing him with a serious “Slow,” he really hoped he wouldn’t just knock it back like others. Slow sips, please. He then drew his hand back, noting that there was another customer now waiting on him.

The younger of the two suppressed another sigh, nodding his head to let Daniel know he’d actually heard him and that he wasn’t just staring at him vacantly. Jude glanced down at the glass in front of him. He restrained himself, just to please his friend. He looked away from the glass that was filled with his poison of choice, his eyes flickering back to Daniel for a moment. “Go and do your bloody job.” He told the other man, waving him off. Jude didn’t need him to babysit him. He wasn’t a five year old.

Daniel gave him a nod, an exasperated sigh following before he pushed back from where he’d been leaning against the bar table and strode along the empty path towards the man currently sitting there, waiting and _watching_. Watching them… watching Jude? He seemed rather interested, his eyes almost solely focused on his friend. “Can I help you?” he questioned politely, forcing a smile to his face.

“Ah… red wine, please,” quite a classy choice, he’d admit. Daniel turned and reached into the massive stack of various glasses, picking up one of the fancier ones and then reaching for a bottle of what he’d ordered. He then smoothly unclogged it and swiftly filled the glass about halfway, keeping the bottle in reach as he placed it behind the bar.

“Anything else?” he asked, placing the glass down carefully.

“His name would be lovely,” was it just him or did Daniel hear the underlining tone of pure allure, his eyes still focused on Jude. And he appeared to be smiling rather distractedly.

“Why not ask him yourself,” was his curt reply, his words seeming to catch his attention for the moment. Not a second later, he had money in his hand and a piece of paper, folded neatly and being held up for him.

“Because I have important matters to attend to,” the stranger said as he dropped the money and paper in his hand, standing up before turning and walking away with the glass in hand. Daniel watched carefully, eyeing him oddly as he capped the wine bottle and distractedly strode back over to the register, which happened to be close to Jude.

“For you,” he knew what the paper was, or had a good idea. A phone number, he was sure. He passed it over as he fiddled with the money and register, opening it and evening out the change given to him.

Jude had been watching the whole exchange between the two, whilst trying to be discreet as possible. He couldn’t hear much of the conversation due to the noise around him but he made out a few words. Surprisingly this distracted him from the drink that had been placed in front of him, he’d only taken a few sips from it.

He was slightly baffled when Daniel made his way back over, handing him a piece of paper. The blonde frowned, staring at it for a moment. “Okay, strange.” He whispered as he opened it up. Inside was a set of initials and a message. ‘ _Bathroom. Five minutes_.’

“Am I helping you home then? Or do you have a date?” Daniel smirked suggestively, letting his mildly dirty mind speak for him, though rather discreetly. He had a feeling that maybe it was a nay for dragging him home. It wasn’t a rare occasion that Jude was hit on and then left with someone. He was a handsome young man, he’d give him that. He wasn’t his type, but he wasn’t obvious to good looks.

“I’m not sure.” Jude responded, his voice riddled with confusion. He held out the piece of paper for Daniel to see. It wouldn’t have been the first time something like this had happened but events like this usually tended to occur when he was far more inebriated than he was at the moment. He was still semi-coherent. Now that he wasn’t consuming liquor like a madman. Jude was curious and his curiosity was getting the better of him. He pushed himself up out of his seat, taking a moment to steady himself. “I’m going to see what that’s about, I’m intrigued.”

“I’d have thought a man giving you a note about joining him in a public bathroom was a clear enough motive,” Daniel chuckled slightly as he closed the register and leaned against the bar, watching his friend steady himself. “Make sure he wears a condom,” he then winked before deciding to clean a few glasses that had been waiting for him.

The blonde shot him a sharp look before he burst out laughing. He shook his head, trying to compose himself. “Who do you take me for?” He questioned before turning away from the bar and making his way over to where the bathrooms were located. He pushed the door open to the men’s room, the door creaking slightly as he did so.

Upon entering the room he realised it was completely empty, or so he thought. Jude paused for a moment, wondering what the hell was actually going on. It was a possibility that the guy had gotten caught up doing something else. It wouldn’t come as a surprise.

He decided to wait around for awhile, just in case he was late. Jude wasn’t exactly the most patient person on the planet. He waited for a good few minutes before he noticed something. One of the stall doors was slightly ajar and there looked to be someone inside.

Jude moved towards the stall tentatively. He gave the garish door a light shove causing it to swing open. He barely had time to register the sight before him and then a shrill scream escaped his throat.

\----------

“Repeat from the beginning,” one of the police officers asked, his notebook in hand and a pen in the other. Daniel was thoroughly exhausted of all the damn questions, he hadn’t even seen what happened until Jude came running out, dashing towards him at the bar and having him call the police in a frantic and very wild manner. Hell, Jude said that he’d called them as well, making so it had been two of them.

The bar was almost completely empty of customers now. Just Daniel, Jude, a load of officers and forensic scientists, a few of the staff members and maybe a few people that had been there when the body was found.

To say that shock had sobered Jude up, was putting it lightly. Internally, he was still freaking out about what he’d seen, so much so that he kept missing parts of the conversation. He’d already told the police officers what he’d seen, multiple times. It was now getting a little ridiculous.

“Again? You must be joking.” Jude hissed, pulling at the sleeves of his _very_ expensive cardigan again, which now had a huge hole in the sleeve from him tugging at it. If he had to repeat himself for the fourth time, he was going to lose his shit.

“I’m sorry, but it’s protocall,” the officer shrugged uncaringly. Daniel huffed, shaking his head and feeling the urge to show the man where the door was himself, though he refrained it, not wanting to end up either losing his job or getting arrested for any kind of offence.

“Will you at least give him a damn break,” his tone was sharp, and it wasn’t a question. It’d seemed like the man had been about to bite back with some kind of comment when the hustle and bustle grew just near the front doors to the restaurant. Daniel gave the man a hard stare, watching him clam up as another man walked in, followed by two others. One seemed very similar to Bilbo from The Hobbit movie, facially anyway. He was rather short, but not that short. The other was… _wow_. Tall, dark, and handsome was a very cliche phrase, overused at this point, but it was an accurate description of the third man.

“Officer Lestrade,” the man standing next to them greeted, his posture taut now.

“Go help Smithson,” the grey haired man ordered, the three coming to stand ahead of them while the officer that had been questioning them obeyed and strode off.

Sherlock surveyed the two men in front of him, taking every little detail about them. There was nothing particularly interesting about either of them, at least not to the immediate eye. There was an obvious age gap between the two, it took him around 0.25 seconds to deduce that. It was simple really, he only had to look at the two males. There were very clear differences between the two, he could list them all, but honestly that’d be a waste of his own time.

His eyes settled on the older of the two men, first. He didn’t even bother to introduce himself before he started ‘ _showing off_ ’ as Watson would call it.

“Early thirties. Highly aesthetically pleasing to the eye. You work here, that’s clear from the attire you’re wearing and the alcohol stain on your hands. A coffee drinker, you're anxious. You bit your nails. You’re worried about someone. A family member. Someone you're close to, father? No, no. Mother. She’s in hospital, you have a pass in your chest pocket. And judging by your current facial expression, you don’t know who I am,” Daniel stared, eyes wide and mouth only slightly open in clear surprise and awe. Honestly, that was… almost unbelieveable.

“How did you-,” he paused to reach into his pocket, pulling out the card and eyeing it and then the man again. So not only was he handsome, he was a major genius or something. Who the hell was he?

“Might I add that you seem like a cat person, regardless of owning a long haired dog,” the pieces of fur. Daniel knew that he maybe saw the hairs in various places, though how he knew he was a cat person, he had no clue.

Sherlock then turned his attention to the other male and began the process again.

“Mid-twenties.Currently unemployed by the looks of it.You have money, possibly inherited. No, definitely inherited. You own three cats. Two black, one ginger. Vain, incredibly so. You take pride in your appearance, often spends hours at a time getting ready. Oh! Drinking problem. You’re an alcoholic, he’s an alcoholic, John!”

Sherlock is interrupted for a split second by Watson’s sigh. He payed no mind to it, continuing on with his rant.

“There’s a close friendship between the two of you, not random at all that you’re both here and shitting too close to be acquaintances, so friends. And you’re both gay, though not together,” he eyed the younger of the two. “Your appearance says that much,” he then turned on the older, eyeing him carefully. “You watched me too closely as I entered the building, staring and gawking. I’d say ogling,”

“Can we get back to the fact that I found a dead body with his face slashed open?” Jude huffed. It crossed his mind that he should probably mention the note again and the guy that pretty much disappeared into thin air. Disappointing, he was quite attractive, but now was not the time for that.

He forwent mentioning the note.

Jude grimaced as he thought about the body in the bathroom stall, it had been strung up like a puppet, the victim's face completely mutilated. It was not something he was wanting to reexperiance. “Can we just get this over with?”

“Yes, I don’t need you. You didn’t do it. Goodbye,” Sherlock forced a tight smile, aiming it towards them before he sauntered off towards the yellow tape lacing the bathroom door.


End file.
